


Under Pressure

by LadySansasDirewolf



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha Ben Solo, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Dominant Ben Solo, Dominant Rey, Enemies to Lovers, Engineering, Eventual Smut, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poe Dameron is an Ass, Strong Female Characters, Writer's Block
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-18 04:47:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18242672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySansasDirewolf/pseuds/LadySansasDirewolf
Summary: Rey Niima just graduated from Georgia Tech with her mechanical engineering degree and is beginning her new life in a new city doing what she loves - working with a team of designers making environmentally sound buildings for urban renewal. Working on her first project means being under the domineering eye of the founder's emotionless and insanely talented son, Ben Solo. Going from being the valedictorian of her graduating class at school to the low man on the totem pole might not sting so bad if Solo didn't take every opportunity to rub his PhD from MIT in her face and knock her ideas down quicker than she can think.  After leaving the design room again in tears, Rey wonders if this punishment is worth the experience on her resume. Unfortunately, her last line of defense, is her smart ass mouth.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One – Pressure, Pushing Down on Me 

 

She was dreaming about the beach, laying in the sun listening the quiet surf breaking gently against the shore. She’d only been there once, when she was fourteen and her best friend’s parents took her with them to Panama City. They’d worn matching bikinis and matching friendship bracelets and swore that no matter what they’d always keep in touch. Two years later, the girl was killed along with her parents in a drunk driving accident, and Rey never liked the ocean since. It reminded her of timelessness and loss. 

Thrown into waking by the uncomfortable feeling the dream cast, she glanced at her phone. Five am. No sense in even trying to go back to sleep. Better to go ahead, take a shower, make some coffee and make lunch for her first day at Skywalker Solo Industries, or SSI as the company handbook referred to the prestigious environmental engineers who designed eco-friendly buildings for dense urban areas. It was her dream job, and she hadn’t believe that she’d been awarded the position until meeting with Leia Organa, daughter of the founder and current CEO, in person just moments after being awarded her degree. 

Four years of mechanical engineering completed on time, with perfect grades, along with competing on the swim team after conquering her fear of water in middle school well enough to earn scholarships in both academic and scholastic arenas gave her the luxury of being able to pick from her choice of job offers, but meeting Ms. Organa, Leia as she’d insisted Rey call her, made the decision an easy one. She’d given Leia the two conditions she’d demanded and the woman agreed without hesitation, making it impossible to turn the fiery little Alpha businesswoman down. 

Of course, it had certainly helped that SSI was based in Atlanta, since Rey was a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech. With her occasionally panic attacks, it helped that her support team of friends also planned on staying in town themselves. It was only their support that made her willing to go outside her comfort zone and take the position knowing little to nothing about urban renewal other than she’d spent a large part of her childhood in the slums of London, and the scared little girl inside who still hid during thunderstorms thought how she might have been different if the building she’d grown to childhood within had been better engineered it might not have been so flammable, a magnet for lightning. 

Shaking her head, she rose from bed, wondering if it were too early to text her college roommate and eternal best friend, Rose Tico and alert her that a panic attack might be in her future, depending upon how her first day goes. On her way to the bathroom, she flipped on the television to the Weather Channel. It was nearing summer in the South, thunderstorms were a daily occurrence, must to Rey’s displeasure. The lower the barometric pressure, the worse her panic. For years, all she could do during a severe low-pressure front was lie in bed prostrate in pain as if her head was exploding from the inside out. 

It was only after her mother’s death and Rey’s arrive in the State to her great-aunt that doctors examined her and pronounced them migraines. All she knew was the pain was so severe it was one of the two conditions she’d had written into her employment contract. Once the barometric pressure began to bottom out, Rey had to leave work, no questions asked, or she would pass out once the pain became too severe. As a result, Rey lived by the weather reports. 

By seven, she was more than ready to go, having meditated and done yoga until she was centered and ready for almost anything. The bus picked her up at the corner and she took the twenty-minute ride to the Ren Tower, a fifty-story tower of urban perfection where SSI maintained their Southeastern headquarters. Once through the revolving doors she crossed the gleaming white and black marble to the security desk. 

“Hello,” she greeted the guard. “I’m Rey Niima, it’s my first day. I believe you have a badge and set of keys for me?” 

The petite blonde behind the desk smiled broadly. “Hello Rey. I’m Kaydel. I’m here in the mornings. What company are you with?” 

“Skywalker Solo.” 

The girl pulled opened a filing cabinet and pulled out a manila envelope. ‘REY NIIMA’ was printed in engineering block handwriting. 

“Here you go. You need to take the third elevator bank to the 48th floor. The security badge will call the car. Welcome to the Ren.” 

“Thank you.” 

As she walked to the appropriate set of elevators, pulling out the badge, a tall male figure trailing an incredibly sexy aroma of warmth and leather pushed past her shoulder, knocking the envelope out of her hands. The man rang for the elevator while she bent over and picked up her things. When the car arrived, the man still hadn’t apologized, and her temper was growing thing. 

“Asshole,” she muttered under breath. 

The door opened and they both stepped onto the same one. Rey rolled her eyes; they were headed to the same floor. 

The silence grew unbearable, until she realized he was standing closer to her than he had been a moment previous, and that did it. 

“Excuse you, do you mind?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared up into the darkest brown pools of heat she’d ever seen. An Alpha, she should have known. 

“Who are you?” 

“Who are you, asshole? First you run me over, now you crowd in on my personal space; are you a stalker or just insane?” 

“I didn’t see you, I was preoccupied.” 

“Well maybe you should take walking lessons. You almost took off my shoulder.” 

“Maybe you should dress more appropriately for an office environment.” 

That really sent her orbital. Rey was nothing if not conservative in her attire, always. For all her accomplishments, she spent little to no time on clothes, preferring jeans and sweaters to skirts and dresses. Rose had spent hours with her at the mall purchasing office appropriate attire. Her pencil skirt was conservatively above her knees and the silky blouse hit well above her cleavage. Even her flats were for comfort not style. 

“What’s wrong with my clothes, asshole?” 

His eyes narrowed at her and she could see the storm clouds gathering in his eyes and audibly heard his jaw clench. 

“I don’t know, Omega. Why don’t you tell me?” 

Rey felt her jaw drop. How. Dare. He? Since coming to America, no one, absolutely no one had ever addressed her by her blood designation. It was the height of poor taste outside of personal relationships, and to say to a total stranger tantamount to a slur. She felt the blind fury of her inner beast rise up and her fist clenched at her sides as she glared at his entirely too beautiful face. 

“What did you call me?” 

The man slid closer, and she could smell his scent like a boxing glove to her jaw, and she saw the moment her own scent smacked him as well. His nostrils flared, and the smirk on his full lips twisted into a predator’s grin. 

“Omega. . .” 

Then he scented her. 

As the elevator doors opened, Rey drew back with her left hand and punched him right in the mouth.


	2. Pressing Down on You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben loses his grip.

– Pressing Down on You 

 

Ben Solo dabbed at the stream of blood running from his split lip and stared at the gorgeous ball of female fury before him in the elevator and it was all he could do not to pull rank and command she back down but when the elevator door opened, and Gwen Phasma, the head of SSI Human Resources stood alongside CEO Leia Organa, he wisely backed off and went on the offensive. As usual. 

“Gwen, I’d like to report this woman for assault.” 

That set his Omega off again. 

Whoa. 

His Omega. 

Where the hell did that come from? 

He tried to focus on what she was screaming. Her amazing cupid’s bow mouth was distracting to say the least not to mention the British accent that came from said lips. 

“He called me a name, a very impolite name. I was well within my rights to defend myself.” 

“Defend yourself against me?” The words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Baby, I take what I want, regardless of the rules.” 

She turned and stared at Phasma and Organa, her hands held out as if to say, ‘see what I mean?” 

Gwen took a deep breath. “Rey Niima, meet your project team leader, Dr. Ben Solo. Ben, this is your new mechanical engineer, Rey Niima.” 

Ben couldn’t decide what was more soul satisfying, that she was going to be working under him or the expression on her face as she realized the same thing. 

He leaned in. 

“I look forward to our first team meeting,” he moved closer to her ear, “Omega.” 

The word was purred in her ear, and he saw the goosebumps that raised along her neckline. 

Oh yeah. His Omega for sure. 

Damn it. 

Ben push past her again and headed to his office, one hand clenching his briefcase, the other fist so tight he could feel his nails slicing into his palm. In his entire 36 years on this forsaken rock in space he’d been gloriously unaffected by anyone’s scent. While all of his college fraternity brothers and colleagues found their mates and settled into domestic comas, no woman ever distracted him from his purpose, his goals. He’d never wondered why, enjoying his solitude and his work. Now he knew why. 

None of them ever smelled like her. 

Once inside his corner office overlooking the vast metro area and sighting the nearby mountains, he slammed into his desk chair and spun away from the door, taking deep inhales of the filtered cool air coming from the vent above him. Fuck, where the hell did she come from? Grabbing his tablet, he searched ‘Rey Niima’. 

The first listing was her Who’s Who in American Engineering, Student Member bio. Raised in poverty in London before the apartment complex where they lived caught fire and burned to the ground, leaving her the only survivor. Orphaned at the age of 10, she was sent to America to live with relatives. Since middle school, the prodigy had been winning competitions in robotics, mechanics, and, much to his amusement, swimming. Attending Georgia Tech on both academic and athletic scholarships she’d also been the class valedictorian. 

Rey was not only hauntingly beautiful, but smart as hell too. What interested him most was what the listings didn’t tell him. Like why did nothing list her as an Omega and why did she have a left hook like a boxer? In fact, truly personal information was glaring in its omissions. Most bios listed her with green eyes, when it obvious they were the most amazing hazel with flecks of brown and gold around the center. None of them explained why she was sent to America when the British system could have buried her passionate spirit in foster homes. 

Sipping his coffee, he gathered his wits about him. Now was not the time and certainly not the place for wondering about the new engineer on his team, regardless of how wonderful she might smell or how when she’s angry the corners of her eyes crinkle or the adorableness of her accent as she tried to stand her ground against him. Sure, he’d seen her as he swept through the lobby, stumbling at the first trace of her scent causing him to brush her shoulder a little harder than he intended but one doesn’t let someone that beautiful just walk up to an elevator and out of their life without at least trying to catch their attention. 

Putting down his cup, he tried to focus on the agenda for the upcoming design meeting. He’d only gone through three lines when the force of nature who was his mother burst through his door. 

“What the hell were you thinking?” 

“Come in Mother, I’m not busy at all.” 

She cocked her head at him, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed in anger. 

“Rey Niima is a lovely young woman with an outstanding reputation in robotics, and you just treated her like a heat house hooker! We’re lucky she’s willing to overlook your tasteless statement and not sue us for sexual harassment, but you cannot under any circumstances allow your own blood designation to insult that sweet girl.” 

He rolled his eyes. “Mother, I really don’t need this right now.” 

“Ben, she has some very specific conditions for accepting this job. One is medical, one personal. The personal involved no one, absolutely no one in this firm addressing her blood designation. It’s her one base condition for coming to us instead of the government think tank where she did her internship. She can sue us, she could take everything, if you ever address her as an Omega again. I cannot stress this enough. Do. Not. Call. Her. Omega. Do you hear me?” 

He leaned back in his chair, hands clasp in front of him, arms perched on the armrests of his chair. Why was she so afraid of her designation that she would make the mere mention of the fact so extreme? True, Ben only knew a few Omegas, mostly mates of friends or co-workers, most appeared happy with their lives and titles. His inner senses were tingling, something didn’t add up. 

“What’s the medical reason?” 

Leia snapped her lips shut and crossed her arms over her chest. “I am not at liberty to say.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because she asked me not to, and I promised her no one need know.” 

“Know what? I’m her team leader, if it’s dire I need to know so she doesn’t fall ill during meetings, or push herself too much to meet deadlines.” 

“Suffice to say, Rey is more than capable of managing her disorder. She’s a survivor and has been taking care of herself for a long time. She doesn’t need you pulling some Alpha shit over her.” 

“You’re not giving my Alpha a reason to back off her, if anything I feel more committed to watching over her. I can’t help it, Leia. She smells incredible. I’ve never been this uneasy in my life.” 

He tried to be honest. If Rey was that committed to her anonymity, who was he to let a potential lifelong mate stand in her way? 

The company asshole, as he well knew. 

“Leia, I’m going to honor her ’request’, until she fucks up. Then I’m going to be as hard on her as I would any intern or new hire. We’re on deadline with Macao, and I need those mechanical specs for the maintenance systems sooner than later. If she can’t keep up, you’ll have to move her to Hux’s team. I won’t be responsible for her breaking down.” 

‘Give her the three weeks you would give anyone to ramp up on a project of this size. She’s already deep into the diagrams and reading the submittal books. Don’t call her out in the meetings until she looks ready. I’ve seen her work, Ben. I promise she can handle this, if you can keep yourself in hand, if you know what I mean. I’m glad to know some part of you still responds to a pretty woman.” 

He could feel the blush from his chest up to the top of his head. 

“Do not fuck this up Ben, we need Rey and her skills. Keep it in your pants, son.” 

Ben didn’t know one could roll their own eyes so far back in their head it hurt. 

He did now. 

Twenty minutes later it was time for their first team meeting. 

As usual, he was the last one in the conference room, and the satellite hook up with the West Coast team was already locking in when he slipped into the back, taking note of who was where. He nodded to himself when he saw Rey seated by the environmental sciences specialist, Tico if he was remembering correctly. Well across the room. Behind the conference table. Tablet in front of her, glasses perched on her nose as she studied the diagrams on their meeting notes. Very normal. Everything was going to be fine, until he realized one thing. 

This wasn’t going to end up the way he thought.


	3. Under Pressure

– Under Pressure 

 

Luckily for Rey, it was the West Coast Team’s turn to give the progress report. The city center they were designing for Macao was to be a showcase piece in southeast Asia, and Rey was in awe of the complexity and elegance of the tower. The survey team was reporting on the soil samples and Rey found it hard to give it her all, given that her tablet currently held the latest systems drawings of the malfunctioning maintenance system. She’d already tracked down several problems in the code and one possible wiring issue as the team droned on about the substrata, all the while trying to ignore the heated stare of her project leader, the rudest individual she’d ever met. 

When Rey presented as an Omega at eighteen, the summer between high school and college, it had been the single worst experience of her life. Her great aunt was a Beta, and knew next to nothing about she would go through, and it was only after she’d passed out from the pain and been rushed to the hospital that she learned the truth, and it was devastating. 

Since birth, Rey’s life had been hard, a struggle to take care of the basic necessities when both parents were unemployed and over-medicated. Many nights she’d gone to bed hungry promising herself that it would all be worth it one day, when she could leave her misery behind her. But finding out she was cursed by a simple biological twist to lose all rational thought and trust an Alpha to protect and feed her while out of her head, made her scientific mind cry foul. Since 18, she’d only had two heats, and while both were extremely painful in terms of her migraines and cramps, it felt like nothing worse than a case of the flu. 

When she’d first attended college, she’d gone to the trouble of having her registry listings edited, siting the Privacy Act which prevented discriminating against anyone because of blood designation, race, color, creed, sexual orientation, or origin. It was intended to keep the employment field level, and Rey reveled in the ability to leave the shame of her status in the past, along with the bits and pieces of her childhood that stubbornly reminded her of where she came from, how lowly her station. 

Meeting with Leia Organa at graduation, she’d demanded to keep that anonymity and Leia readily agreed. Apparently, her son didn’t get the memo. 

Under the pretense of glancing at her new team members, Rey stole several lengthy glances at his face and decided he was insanely good-looking. He was tall, dark, and gave handsome a new meaning, and his hair was amazing. The thin mustache and five o’clock shadow at nine in the morning made her wonder if he’d been at home the night before. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, if she had a type, he hit all the boxes. And his scent, ugh, it was sinfully delicious. All woodsy and warm and soft leather undertones that sent shivers up and down her spine. There was only one flaw in the package. 

He was an ass. 

Remembering his rudeness also reminded her of socking him in the mouth, and when she glanced at her knuckles, she saw a trace of Ben Solo’s blood smeared on her hand. Trying to act cool, she leaned her head in her hand, elbow on the table before her. 

Oh, that was a mistake. 

His smell was concentrated on her hand in a lethal amount and she found herself taking deep breaths against her better judgment. The scent wraps around her cortex and her inner hidden Omega rolled in happiness while Rey scowled at the video screen. She’s never scented an Alpha who interested her in the least. Most smelled like sweaty gym socks or stale aftershave, and she wondered why of all the possible males in the city, it had to be Ben Solo. This won’t work, she can’t hide from her boss, but if she stays too close to him, she may lose what little she has left of her sanity. 

It takes the West Coast team almost two hours to give their update, and the meeting is almost over when Ben stepped forward to address the group. 

“Everyone knows what a tight schedule we are on, so all changes now have to come directly through me. We should be in production within sixty days. The time to panic was yesterday. One small note of interest to everyone, we have a new team member.” 

Rey felt everyone’s head swivel in her direction. Her cheeks burned with flame, as she hated anyone staring at her for any reason. 

Ben continued. 

“This is Rey Niima, stand up Rey. Rey is our new mechanical engineer, and I do mean new. She just left Georgia Tech with her degree three weeks ago, and is already tackling the maintenance systems.” 

A low chuckle ran through the room and across the satellite feed. For some reason, that made Rey extremely uneasy. 

“Please make sure your distribution lists are updated to include her email, and I’d like a copy of the presentation put on the server under the project directory along with the other meetings. Does anyone have anything else to discuss?’ 

The room begins to break, and Rey grabbed her tablet to head to her office when she heard Ben’s deep baritone calling her name. 

“Rey, would you stay a moment please?” 

She rolled her eyes and nodded. It took a moment but soon they were the last two in the room. 

He kept his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. 

“Do you have everything you need to get into the guts of the maintenance system?” 

Huh? 

Where was her apology? Isn’t that why he wanted her to stay? 

She rushed to cover her hesitation. 

“Are these the latest test lab notes, or have they run anything new?” 

“Call Poe Dameron. He’s the Test Lab Supervisor, he’ll have the address for the latest tests although I’m pretty sure the lab is stumped. I’m hoping fresh eyes will bring a new perspective.” 

“I’m certain I’ll find out the issue. I’ve already discovered several problems in the code.” 

He raised an eyebrow. 

“Really? Then talk to Armitage Hux. His team does the software development.” 

“All right. Thank you.” 

Without speaking a word, he turned and walked out the door, leaving her in the conference room to wonder if her deodorant had failed. What the hell possessed him to run off that like? 

Rey returned to her office, even more uncertain if this was the position she should have taken. 

*** 

Ben slammed into his desk chair, running both hands through his hair. That meeting had been without a doubt the worst two hours of his life, complicated by the waft of scent that hit him each time the air conditioning system kicked on and cycled the air in the room. The only thing that made it all bearable was the fact he could see her studying him when she thought he wasn’t paying attention. 

Fuck she was beautiful. 

That reddish brown hair, now pulled up into a bun at her neck reminded him of golden firelight, and when he saw the glasses perched on her nose, he’d almost come across the room to throw her over his shoulder and take her off. Find out why she hated her designation so much. Did some asshole Alpha (present company not included) hurt her in some terrible way? Was she (gods forbid!) raped when younger? She did go to a school where males outnumber females by a large margin. 

The mere thought of someone hurting Rey made his heart race, and he found himself moving to the drawing table in the corner where his latest drawings were awaiting inspection. Moving them aside, he pulled out a clean sheet of paper and began sketching. For a new home, his home. A home for him - 

And a mate. 

Would she ever entertain the idea, or was she content to be alone? No, that couldn’t be it. No one wants to be alone. Most want to be left alone, but in their hearts really want someone to care for them, share their burdens. Make the dark nights shorter and less painful. Man was not made to be alone, and neither were Alphas and Omegas. The drive to find one’s mate wasn’t all encompassing, but it still triggered emotions and chemical reactions in the body that were impossible to ignore, no matter how strong one might be. 

Rey Niima triggered those responses in him, and he was scared. He refused to fall for her. Refused to let his biology ruin all he’d been working toward. It would take her days to figure out what was wrong with the damn maintenance systems, days he could spend well away from her scent. 

And her eyes. 

And that ass. Oh man, that perfect ass. Every time he shut his eyes; he could see that perfect ass walking in front of him in that damn skin tight skirt. He growled under his breath. He’d teach her to dress like that, little vixen. He’d already noticed three or four men watching her walk past them. How did he assert his claim on his Omega, when said Omega refused to even admit she was one? 

It was going to take every tool he had in his considerable arsenal to overcome all of her objections, not just to him, but to their kind in general. First, he would withdraw from her, go cold, ignore her except for when he had to discuss work. Keep it professional until he could decode her tells, her weaknesses, what would attract, what would repel. It was time to study his prey. 

Two hours later he was still staring out the window. 

What the hell was this woman doing to him?


	4. Burns a Building Down

– Burns a Building Down 

 

Back in her office, Rey’s best friend Rose Tico waylaid her after leaving the conference room. 

“What did Dr. Grump want with you?” 

Rey crinkled her face. “Dr. Who?” 

“Ben Solo. The grumpiest architect in the entire firm. The man who thinks he’s the universe’s supreme being when it comes to eco-forward design.” 

“Oh, he wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to study the malfunctioning system. Then he turned and left like I personally offended him when he’s the one who was rude to me.” 

“What do you mean?” 

As Rey filled in Rose on what happened in the lobby and elevator, her friend’s jaw dropped lower and lower. Rose was an Alpha in a relationship with a Beta, but felt every inch of Rey’s indignation., just as she has whenever an asshole made Rey's life hell They’d been friends since freshman year rolled them together as roommates. She was the sister Rey never had, and there were few secrets between the two of them. 

“And then he left you standing there without saying a word? Oh, I bet Leia was fit to be tied, watching her son be a complete ass right in front her.” 

“She wasn’t pleased, that’s for sure.” 

“Well, ignore him. The rest of us do. Be ready for drinks tonight after work. It’s a thing some of us do on Monday and Friday after work, helps release the stress.” 

“We’ll see. It all depends on how much progress I make on this nightmare of a system. I swear all someone did was cut and paste a bunch of other people’s work and cribbed it together. It’s a mess.” 

“I’ll stop by on my way out.” 

But when Rose returned, Rey begged off, stating that she had entirely too much invested in what she was working on to take off for drinks. She could tell Rose was disappointed but she’d already decided to spend the week working as hard as she could and then joining them on Friday as a reward for her dedication. Besides, Rey loved a good puzzle, and this maintenance system was a nightmare of one. When she next looked at the clock, it was close to eight pm, and her stomach was starting to growl. 

Catching the bus on the corner back to her loft apartment, Rey puzzled on her mysterious boss, who was apparent a dick to everyone, not just her. Of course, that didn’t make it sting less, but at least she was certain it wasn’t due to her designation. Letting herself into the building she had the strangest sensation, as if someone was breathing on her neck. Whirling around, there wasn’t any one in sight on either side of the street. But her skin crawled anyway and she hurried inside, pulling the door tight behind her. 

Once inside her apartment, she flipped on the weather channel. Luck was in her direction at last, there was no rain forecast for the next seven days. 

The next afternoon she met Poe Dameron, the testing lab supervisor. He was a typical brash Alpha who loved the sound of his own voice and she had the feeling he’d be bothering her non-stop until she went out with him, which she had no intentions of doing. He wasn’t her type and besides, dating co-workers was never a good idea. But she did manage to get him to grant her access to the testing servers in order to read the results files. 

By Friday, Rey felt brain dead. She’d been spending sixteen hours a day at her table and whiteboard, attempted to discern what was wrong with the maintenance system. Already she’d discovered thousands of lines of code which did nothing, and was deep into re-wiring the control box when a tall red head stuck his head into her office. 

“Rey Niima?” 

“Yes.” 

“Armi Hux, senior software designer. Dr. Solo said you had some code you wanted changed.” 

“Changed, removed, purged from my sight whatever is quickest. It does nothing. It looks like someone tried to cut and paste a subroutine but never ran it through debug. Now it’s crashing this whole unit. I’ve highlighted on this print out what’s wrong.” 

He took the pages from her, seating himself on the corner of her desk as he studied them. The Alpha was tall, but not as tall as Solo, with reddish hair and intense eyes. His scent was of burned sugar and too much cinnamon and it made her eyes want to water. She took a step back and rolled her head, trying to release the tension Hux caused in her shoulders. Something about him made her uneasy. Either that or she’d been at work far too long. 

“I see what you mean, Niima. Let me take this and get the testing lab working. It should be easy to make these changes and have something back to you by Tuesday.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Hux, I really appreciate your assistance.” 

“Not at all. But a little bird in Human Resources told me you’ve been burning the midnight oil all week. A group of us get together after work on Fridays, spend a few hours drinking, then have a late dinner and so forth. We’d love if you could join us.” 

Rey cocked her head. “Who all is ‘we’?” 

“Well it’s open to all employees, but there’s a group of a dozen or so of us who always go. Gwen Phasma, Rose Tico, Finn Storm from Sales, Poe Dameron, me, sometimes Leia. A few programmers. That civil engineer Mark something, you’ll have fun. I promise.” 

“Well . . .” 

“Come on, meet us in the lobby at five. Join us once, and if you don’t like it I’ll never bother you again, I promise.” 

“All right, but just for a while. I do have things that I need to finish tonight.” 

Hux smiled at her and Rey felt an icy finger dip down her spine. 

There was something he wasn’t telling her, and she didn’t like the feeling she was being played. If there was one thing she despised it was games, especially if they were at her expense. 

At five she met them in the lobby, and Rose slipped her arm around her waist. 

“I’m glad you decided to come. It’ll be fun.” 

“Would you be upset if I just have one beer then leave?” 

Rose shook her head and laughed. 

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t want to. No, just make sure you don’t slip off before we go grab a bite to eat. I’ve barely seen you since Monday to ask how things are going.” 

“Things are tough but amazing. I’ve spent most of my week redoing some mechanical systems. Most of the team seems nice, but Ben Solo seems to ignore me even though he’s supposed to be my manager.” 

“Ah well, that’s Dr. Solo for you. Since he has a PhD, he doesn’t normally communicate with us lower types. Usually we just get emails.” 

“Really? I’ve been getting copies of emails to other people where’s he’s told them to bring me up to speed on things. I haven’t spoken to him since the team meeting on Monday. I don’t think he likes me.” 

“Rey, you punched him in the mouth. Of course, he doesn’t like you. But his hands are tied, after all he did call you a name which quote, no one should ever use outside of a committed relationship and even then, only under certain circumstances, end quote.” 

“Rose, I don’t always say it like that.” 

“You do and you know it. You hate everything about your designation. One of these days you’re going to meet you true mate and Karma is going to have a field day with you missy!” 

Rolling her eyes, they entered the noisy bar and grill located on the ground floor of Ren Tower. Most of the employees were congregated in the back corner, pitchers of beer spread around the table. 

Rey had a hard time putting names and faces together, so she just smiled and stood off to the side, watching the other interact. Having been raised by an elderly woman, she wasn’t used to the loud boisterous nature of the other employees of SSI and before long she felt the beginnings of a migraine creeping over her skull. 

She caught Rose’s attention, pulling the shorter woman to a quieter corner. “Rose, my head is starting to pound. I’m going to go. Call me tomorrow?” 

“Of course. Do you want a ride home?” 

“No, the train runs in five minutes, I’ll be fine.” 

“Okay, but text me the minute you get home. You know we worry about you.” 

Rey grinned at her friend. 

“I know. That’s why I love you guys so much.” 

Once outside, she began walking down the train station. Her normal bus line didn’t run this late. Glancing at her watch, there was roughly five minutes until the next train. Rey scanned her card through the reader, then waited on the platform for the train to pull into the station. 

Down the way, two young men were talking together and glancing in her direction. She frowned to herself, making sure she had a firm grip on her can of bear repellent. It would stop all but the most determined of Alphas. Finally, the apparently drunk men approached her, elbowing each other as they sauntered down the platform. 

“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” 

The speaker was medium height, brown hair and non-descript looks. Both men smelled like burning alcohol and harsh chemicals. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Too pretty to be a Beta, too short to be an Alpha.” 

The other one piped up. This one was drunker than the other. 

“Is it true you’re all sex-crazed fuck bunnies?” 

That did it. 

Pulling out her bear spray, she growled at the two annoying imbeciles. 

“What did you say?” 

“What’s say you take us both on, let us feel what it’s like?” 

Rey felt true rage blooming deep in her chest. Just as she raised her hand to spray them both, a large comforting presence over her shoulder gave her a moment to clear the rage. It was the smell of warmth and leather, and she almost fainted at the sight of Dr. Ben Solo grabbing one of her assailants by the neck and pulling him closer. With Ben’s additional height, the man’s toes barely scraped the ground. 

“It’s rude to made those types of comments to a lady, regardless of designation. An Alpha should always be respectful.” 

The words were snarled out with a distinct hint of violence, and Rey shrank into herself as he placed his large, warm hands on her shoulders and steered her onto the now waiting train. They took a seat well away from the others in the car and he took her hand, prying her fingers off the spray, forcing her to look at him. 

“Are you all right, Rey?” 

She couldn’t believe he was talking to her. He’s been so distant since the meeting on Monday, she wondered if he’d been punished by his mother or Gwen Phasma for being so inconsiderate or if he truly disliked her so much. 

“I’m fine. Thank you for coming along when you did. Why are you taking the train? I thought you had a car?” 

He grinned, and she was taken with how beautiful he was, a haunting beauty, very classical. Not to mention built like a brick house. Her hind brain purred.

“I’m headed up to Buckhead for dinner with my mother and father, and decided since I’ll probably be hammered by the time that debacle is over I’d leave the driving to someone else. I do confess I thought I saw you enter the station, and the thought of not being alone for the entire trip seemed worth the effort. Then I saw your ‘acquaintances.’” 

“One I could handle fine, but two or more always makes me nervous.” 

“Things like this happen frequently for you?” 

She looked around to make sure they were safe. 

“It’s Alphas like that which have made me so touchy about what I am. What did I do to provoke those two? Nothing, other than simply exist. It isn’t right, and it isn’t fair, and that’s why I’m so adamant no one know. I want to stand on my merit as Ray Niima: a person, a scientist, an engineer. Not Rey Niima, poor Omega who needs someone to think for her. I know you can’t understand that, the need to be more than what the world thinks you are.” 

“I understand it better than you would imagine.” 

She stared at him, chewing on her lip. 

“I will fix your system, Ben. I know I can.” 

He grinned again, and took her hand in his. 

“I have not a doubt you will.” 

He insisted on walking her to her apartment, and then to her door. Once there, he lightly grabbed her arm. 

“Rey, I’d feel better if you didn’t work past sunset for a while. Those Alphas might come back looking for you. Best your scent not be around for them to follow.” 

“I’ll vary my work hours, it’ll be fine. Thank you though, for tonight.” 

“Good night Rey.” 

“Good night Ben.” 

She didn’t hear him walk away until she’d locked the door and secured the chain. Once his scent wasn’t overpowering her senses any longer, she slid down the door, legs too shaky to hold her upright any longer. 

An asshole shouldn’t be allowed to smell that delicious. 

***** 

Armitage pulled out his phone and dialed Ben’s number. 

“Why didn’t you meet us at the bar?” 

“Niima was with you and I didn’t want to make things uncomfortable for her. It’s still a fragile thread of trust and this project is too important to have a freaked-out engineer. Especially since her board tests are in a month.” 

“Gwen told me about your ‘introduction’ to Ms. Niima. I gotta tell you, man. I see what attracts you. If I wasn’t already mated, I’d give you a run for your money.” 

The low growl surprises Hux. 

“Ben, are you trying out for sainthood? Ask the girl out already. Gwen and I think it might be the best for everyone. Just date her and see if you’re even compatible.” 

“And when we find out we are? Then what? Who leaves? Who changes their career path to avoid a messy scandal when it all falls apart?” 

Armitage chuckled. 

“Wow, you really are the most thick-headed person I’ve ever met. Who gets the credit when it all works out and, in a year, you’re mated and just as brain dead as you claim the rest of us to be? 

“Hux, stay out of my love life. Please? I’m under a lot of stress on this project. I don’t need any distractions. Neither does Niima. And what makes you even think I’m interested in her? She still wet behind the ears.” 

“Because I can hear it in your voice, Ben. She challenges you, and if there is one thing you thrive on, it’s a challenge. It’s your red flag, so to speak. Listen, just don’t be your usual self. Give this a chance to develop or die on its own merits. You’ve killed every other relationship in your past. Don’t stop your future before it even has a chance to sprout.” 

“Fuck off, Hux. We have a deadline to meet. I don’t have time for a relationship.” 

“Well, how about I invite her to join us at the Masque for blues night on Saturday? Tico will be there with her boy toy, Gwen and I, you and Niima. It’ll be nice.” 

“Why are you pushing this, Hux?” 

“Because I’m tired of seeing that beaten dog look on your face when we all get together and all you have to show for your hard work is another home in some far away country. Gwen has a good feel about you and this one.” 

“Tell Gwen to blow it out her ass.” 

Armitage laughed long and hard. “Not for all the tea in China. She can kick the shit out of me.”


	5. Splits a Family in Two . . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Evening with Dr. Solo
> 
> This chapter is shorter because the next chapter is quite long. Hopefully it will be finished by this weekend. Lots going on. . .

– Splits a Family in Two 

 

Ben hated Friday night dinners with his parents. Truthfully, he hated all extended periods of time spent with both of his parents. Individually he could stomach them in small doses but together it was too much. For two people who were supposed to be living this fantastic love story, he never saw the attraction between them. All he ever saw was two Alphas battling for position, and it had made him bitter and soured on the whole institution of mating and children. Working with Leia was only possible because she left him the hell alone as much as possible. 

Too much like his grandfather, was the excuse she always gave. Fine. If it meant less time around Leia Organa Skywalker-Solo, so be it. Anakin Skywalker was a legend in the construction industry, a fact Ben had played upon more than once in his career. 

Tonight’s charade of a meal would inevitably bring up the subject of Rey Niima, and for not the first time, Ben felt his hind brain kick into gear. Seeing her nearly assaulted in the train station had his blood pumping, and he felt disinclined to talk to his parents about the young Omega he intended to make his own. Selfishly, he decided they didn’t deserve to know about this relationship. That way they couldn’t stick their unhelpful noses into his business any more than usual. That was all he needed right now, dating advice from his parents. It would just make his fucking night.

As he poured himself a large glass of vodka, Ben listened to his father droning on about his newest shipping venture and wondered what Rey was doing now that she was home. Her smell had been off, like she was in pain. It scared him in that in only a week, a week in which he had diligently avoided too much contact with her, he still could understand the subtle variations in her scent. When she was content, it was all sunshine and honey, and when she was laughing, a hint of rose would climb through. But her frustration smell he was learning intimately as she spent hours working through the malfunctioning system. 

Frustration smelled like citrus and mint with a hint of warm spice he couldn’t quite identify. A smell that made he want to gather her to his chest and make everything better, soothe all her hurts, let her know that her Alpha was taking care of things. Frustration was slowing killing Ben Solo, and as he downed his drink and poured another, Leia opened her mouth. 

“I’m glad to see you’ve been leaving Rey Niima alone. She seems to have settled in well.” 

“She’s staying too late some night, and the train station isn’t safe. I’m going to give her permission to work more from home if she’ll leave during day light hours.” 

“You can’t make exceptions for her because she’s an Omega, Ben. She’ll have to request that type of arrangement on her own.” 

“She will.” 

“What makes you so sure?” Leia narrowed her eyes at her only child. “What did you do?” 

“I did nothing, except save her from being assaulted by two drunks on the train platform this evening after dark. She’s too beautiful to wander around Atlanta armed with only repellent. I think I’ll ask Gwen to restart her defense training for anyone interested. It’s good training.” 

Han glanced between his wife and son. 

“Anyone want to catch me up?” 

Ben simply poured himself another glass and stared blankly at his father. “Not really.” 

Leia rolled her eyes. “We have a new mechanical engineer at the firm, and she had a run in with Ben the first day and they’ve been a little tense toward each other since. She’s an Omega, but extremely forward thinking and talented. Unfortunately for all of us, they also appear to be attracted to each other. Or so the water cooler gossips report.” 

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What do they say, pray tell?” 

“She thinks you’re hot, but an egotistical ass and you wouldn’t know an emotion if it bit you on the ass.” 

Han burst into laughter. 

“Oh kid, it sounds like Fate has your number and her name is Rey.” 

A small twitch under his left eye reminded him it was still illegal to kill one’s father. 

It was late when he finally returned to his penthouse downtown, and he was thoroughly drunk. It took him three attempts to insert his floor key into the elevator slot, and when he stumbled into his dark living room, he felt a moment of confusion as a wave of orange blossoms and sunshine wafted past him until he realized it was coming from his jacket, where Rey had leaned against him in the train and on the way to her apartment. 

Collapsing into his favorite arm chair, he clutched the cloth to his face and inhaled deeply. Without thinking he pulled out his phone and searched for her number. Before his sobering brain could stop his drunk heart, he texted her. 

\- B: Rey, it’s Ben. Just wanted to check that you were all right. 

He leaned back and pondered on what she’d said. On why she hated her designation, and how it affected her present daily life. His Alpha was pacing back and forth inside his mental cage, threatening to take over if Rey didn’t respond soon. This was why he didn’t drink often. His other side was an even worse pain the ass than Ben, and alcohol lowered his ability to keep him contained. 

Just as Ben was about to grab his keys and drive to her apartment, a move which would have certainly earned him a DUI, his phone chimed. 

\- R: I’m fine. Asleep already. Armi called about blues night at the Masque, and I said yes, if you don’t mind. 

Hell no he didn’t mind, his Alpha preened. An evening of blues music with a beautiful woman swaying beside him? Not a problem at all. 

\- B: I don’t mind at all; can I pick you up? I’m not comfortable with you taking the train. 

Smirking he went for broke. This would determine how the next phase of getting know his Omega proceeded, and already his Alpha was strategizing. Now that she was awake the reply was quicker. 

\- R: I guess that would be all right. What time? 

He punched the air. Yes! Score one for the asshole. His Alpha purred in victory. 

\- B: 8:00? 

\- R: I’ll see you then. Night Ben. 

\- B: Good night Rey. 

As Ben slowly began to pass out from excessive alcohol, his Alpha took control of his fevered mind, and his dreams, or at least the ones he could remember, were of a certain feisty Omega.


End file.
